It’s no secret that the most famous character of Steven Spielberg movies is, undoubtedly, Dr. Henry Walton Jones, more known as Indiana Jones. The witty and inventive nature of the fictional professor of archaeology was well-demonstrated by Harrison Ford, who portrayed the iconic hero in all of the franchise's movies.
However, almost nobody knows that this character, written by the Star Wars father and Spielberg’s close friend, George Lucas, took a lot from a little-known action hero from the 1964 French-Italian movie, giving a lot of inspiration to filmmakers.
It starts by presenting the determined Adrien (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo), who embarks on a trip with his fiancée Agnès (Françoise Dorléac), the archaeologist’s daughter, who knows the location of the stolen Amazonian statuette of great value.
This knowledge becomes the reason why Agnès gets kidnapped, and it forces Adrien to do his best not only to save her,...
However, almost nobody knows that this character, written by the Star Wars father and Spielberg’s close friend, George Lucas, took a lot from a little-known action hero from the 1964 French-Italian movie, giving a lot of inspiration to filmmakers.
It starts by presenting the determined Adrien (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo), who embarks on a trip with his fiancée Agnès (Françoise Dorléac), the archaeologist’s daughter, who knows the location of the stolen Amazonian statuette of great value.
This knowledge becomes the reason why Agnès gets kidnapped, and it forces Adrien to do his best not only to save her,...
- 5/2/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Ursula Andress became a global sensation when she was chosen to play the first Bond girl in the iconic James Bond film series. Despite her distinctive Swiss/German accent, Andress beat the likes of Julie Christie, Martine Beswick, and Gabriella Licudi to clinch the role. Subsequently, she gained global recognition for her performance, winning the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year. Ursula Andress had a humble beginning as an actress before her breakout role in Dr. No (1962). She began her career with an uncredited role in the Steno-directed 1954 comedy film An American in Rome. While she
The post Ursula Andress: Celebrating The Iconic First Bond Girl first appeared on TVovermind.
The post Ursula Andress: Celebrating The Iconic First Bond Girl first appeared on TVovermind.
- 5/1/2024
- by Banks Onuoha
- TVovermind.com
“Bond, James Bond.”
62 years, 25 films and 6 lead actors — but it all began with this iconic line from Sean Connery in Dr. No.
This iconic British character, conceived by author Ian Fleming in 1953, has captivated audiences worldwide as the world’s most famous secret agent in the history of cinema.
To tell the full story of how 007 began, Eon Productions opened its archives of photos, designs, and production materials to Taschen. The result is this remarkable account of the making of Dr. No.
Related: James Bond Movies In Order: Filmography, Bond Women & Iconic Villains
Director Terence Young debuted Dr. No in 1962, featuring Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, Bernard Lee as M., Joseph Wiseman as Dr. No, and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
The companion book provides a glimpse into the day-by-day account of what took place, which scenes were shot and who made the decisions that shaped the story and characters as it was filmed.
62 years, 25 films and 6 lead actors — but it all began with this iconic line from Sean Connery in Dr. No.
This iconic British character, conceived by author Ian Fleming in 1953, has captivated audiences worldwide as the world’s most famous secret agent in the history of cinema.
To tell the full story of how 007 began, Eon Productions opened its archives of photos, designs, and production materials to Taschen. The result is this remarkable account of the making of Dr. No.
Related: James Bond Movies In Order: Filmography, Bond Women & Iconic Villains
Director Terence Young debuted Dr. No in 1962, featuring Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, Bernard Lee as M., Joseph Wiseman as Dr. No, and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
The companion book provides a glimpse into the day-by-day account of what took place, which scenes were shot and who made the decisions that shaped the story and characters as it was filmed.
- 2/28/2024
- by Robert Lang
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s no question that the James Bond film franchise – the second longest-running such series in cinema history after Godzilla – comes with certain expectations in the minds of viewers. We can predict, mostly like clockwork, that 007 will wear a tux at some point in every film, he will bed at least one or more beautiful women, he’ll drive an Aston Martin (or some other high-end vehicle), and that he’ll have one polite conversation with the villain before the shooting really starts. There will also be a surreal, psychedelic credits sequence, often a big action scene before the credits, and so on.
But all those iconic trademarks of the Bond film franchise didn’t happen overnight. They were gradually introduced, especially in the early films, with some of them springing from the original Ian Fleming books and others invented by the filmmakers who adapted them. Some have remained virtually the same since their inception,...
But all those iconic trademarks of the Bond film franchise didn’t happen overnight. They were gradually introduced, especially in the early films, with some of them springing from the original Ian Fleming books and others invented by the filmmakers who adapted them. Some have remained virtually the same since their inception,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
While the fate of Hammer Films and Studios has been up in the air in recent years, the announcement that John Gore has acquired Hammer has me very excited for the future of the legendary studio:
Visionary British theatre producer, John Gore has acquired the iconic Hammer Films and Studios, in an acquisition announced today.
Gore, the twenty-time Tony-winning, Emmy and Olivier-winning British entertainment producer, renowned for his live theatre company the John Gore Organisation which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America - the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide - has acquired Hammer Films. Gore will lead a new team as Chairman and C.E.O.
Marking a significant moment for both Hammer Films and Gore, the acquisition brings together two incredible forces in the entertainment industry. With significant investment in Hammer Films, the partnership will breathe new life into the studio, blending the nostalgic charm...
Visionary British theatre producer, John Gore has acquired the iconic Hammer Films and Studios, in an acquisition announced today.
Gore, the twenty-time Tony-winning, Emmy and Olivier-winning British entertainment producer, renowned for his live theatre company the John Gore Organisation which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America - the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide - has acquired Hammer Films. Gore will lead a new team as Chairman and C.E.O.
Marking a significant moment for both Hammer Films and Gore, the acquisition brings together two incredible forces in the entertainment industry. With significant investment in Hammer Films, the partnership will breathe new life into the studio, blending the nostalgic charm...
- 9/1/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
British theatre producer John Gore has acquired the iconic Hammer Films and Studios.
Gore, the twenty-time Tony-winning, Emmy and Olivier-winning British entertainment producer is renowned for his live theatre company the John Gore Organisation which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America. Gore will lead a new team as Chairman and C.E.O.
Hammer Films and Studios has held its iconic status in the film industry and made an indelible mark on British and global cinema since it was founded in 1934. The company is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as ‘Dracula,’ ‘The Curse of Frankenstein’ and ‘The Mummy,’ which made stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing while spawning numerous sequels widely adored by audiences across the globe. It also produced such classics as ‘One Million Years B.C.’ starring Raquel Welch and ‘She’ starring Ursula Andress. Although famous for horror it had great...
Gore, the twenty-time Tony-winning, Emmy and Olivier-winning British entertainment producer is renowned for his live theatre company the John Gore Organisation which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America. Gore will lead a new team as Chairman and C.E.O.
Hammer Films and Studios has held its iconic status in the film industry and made an indelible mark on British and global cinema since it was founded in 1934. The company is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as ‘Dracula,’ ‘The Curse of Frankenstein’ and ‘The Mummy,’ which made stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing while spawning numerous sequels widely adored by audiences across the globe. It also produced such classics as ‘One Million Years B.C.’ starring Raquel Welch and ‘She’ starring Ursula Andress. Although famous for horror it had great...
- 8/31/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Iconic British horror label Hammer Films and Studios has been acquired by renowned British theater producer John Gore.
Gore, a 20-time Tony, Emmy and Olivier-winning entertainment producer, is known for his live theater company the John Gore Organization, which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America – a leading presenter, distributor and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. The company was one of the producers of three of 2022’s big Tony winners: “A Strange Loop” (best musical), “The Lehman Trilogy” (best play) and “Company” (best revival). Gore is listed in Variety500 – an index of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the global media industry.
Gore will lead a new team as chair and CEO.
Founded in 1934, Hammer Films is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as “Dracula” (1958) “The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957) and “The Mummy” (1959), which made stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing while spawning numerous sequels successful across the globe.
Gore, a 20-time Tony, Emmy and Olivier-winning entertainment producer, is known for his live theater company the John Gore Organization, which owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America – a leading presenter, distributor and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. The company was one of the producers of three of 2022’s big Tony winners: “A Strange Loop” (best musical), “The Lehman Trilogy” (best play) and “Company” (best revival). Gore is listed in Variety500 – an index of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the global media industry.
Gore will lead a new team as chair and CEO.
Founded in 1934, Hammer Films is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as “Dracula” (1958) “The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957) and “The Mummy” (1959), which made stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing while spawning numerous sequels successful across the globe.
- 8/31/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Laird Koenig, who adapted his novel for the screenplay to the 1976 cult film The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, a controversial horror thriller starring a teenage Jodie Foster, has died. He was 95.
Koenig died June 30 of natural causes in Santa Barbara, Jamie Dixon, the son of Koenig’s frequent writing partner, Peter L. Dixon, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Koenig also received a writing credit on three films directed by Terence Young: Red Sun (1971), starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress; Bloodline (1979), starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason; and Inchon (1981), starring Gazzara, Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.
His 1970 novel The Children Are Watching, co-written with Dixon, was turned into the French film Attention Les Enfants Regardent (1978), starring Delon.
Taken from his 1974 novel — his first as a solo author — The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane starred Foster as a 13-year-old who lives...
Koenig died June 30 of natural causes in Santa Barbara, Jamie Dixon, the son of Koenig’s frequent writing partner, Peter L. Dixon, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Koenig also received a writing credit on three films directed by Terence Young: Red Sun (1971), starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress; Bloodline (1979), starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason; and Inchon (1981), starring Gazzara, Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.
His 1970 novel The Children Are Watching, co-written with Dixon, was turned into the French film Attention Les Enfants Regardent (1978), starring Delon.
Taken from his 1974 novel — his first as a solo author — The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane starred Foster as a 13-year-old who lives...
- 7/17/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Austrian actor Helmut Berger, the groundbreaking star of European cinematic masterpieces such as Luchino Visconti’s “The Damned” and Vittorio De Sica’s “Garden of the Finzi-Continis,” has died at the age of 78. Berger died at home in Austria from natural causes.
In one of European cinema’s most storied and creative periods, the 60s and 70s, Berger boldly established his place in the pantheon of Continental stars via a handful of films directed by Visconti, his one-time romantic partner. “The Damned,” “Ludwig” and “Conversation Piece” were all crafted with standout roles for Berger and the films were hugely successful both at the arthouse box office and with critics and awards groups.
“The Damned”
Berger was nominated for a Golden Globe for “The Damned,” which was also nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar in 1970. No less an authority than the late German filmmaking maestro Rainer Werner Fassbinder called it “perhaps the greatest film,...
In one of European cinema’s most storied and creative periods, the 60s and 70s, Berger boldly established his place in the pantheon of Continental stars via a handful of films directed by Visconti, his one-time romantic partner. “The Damned,” “Ludwig” and “Conversation Piece” were all crafted with standout roles for Berger and the films were hugely successful both at the arthouse box office and with critics and awards groups.
“The Damned”
Berger was nominated for a Golden Globe for “The Damned,” which was also nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar in 1970. No less an authority than the late German filmmaking maestro Rainer Werner Fassbinder called it “perhaps the greatest film,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Helmut Berger, the Austrian actor who became an international star through films by directors Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica and Massimo Dallamano, died today in his home city of Salzburg. He was 78.
His death was announced by his agency, Helmet Werner Management.
“Helmut Berger was one of the greatest and most talented actors European cinema had ever seen,” the agency said in a statement. “His mentor, the Italian star director Luchino Visconti, recognized this talent immediately. With the films The Damned, Violence and Passion and Ludwig II he created an eternal monument to Helmut Berger.
The statement continued, “”No other actor after him embodied the Bavarian fairy tale king as expressively as the native of Bad Ischl [Austria], whose portrayal of Ludwig II is internationally recognized as a masterpiece.”
In addition to the Visconti films, Berger gave memorable performances in De Sica’s The Garden of the Finzi-Continis and Dallamano’s Dorian Gray,...
His death was announced by his agency, Helmet Werner Management.
“Helmut Berger was one of the greatest and most talented actors European cinema had ever seen,” the agency said in a statement. “His mentor, the Italian star director Luchino Visconti, recognized this talent immediately. With the films The Damned, Violence and Passion and Ludwig II he created an eternal monument to Helmut Berger.
The statement continued, “”No other actor after him embodied the Bavarian fairy tale king as expressively as the native of Bad Ischl [Austria], whose portrayal of Ludwig II is internationally recognized as a masterpiece.”
In addition to the Visconti films, Berger gave memorable performances in De Sica’s The Garden of the Finzi-Continis and Dallamano’s Dorian Gray,...
- 5/18/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Italian auteur Vittorio De Sica triumphed at the Berlin Film Festival when his 1971 masterpiece “The Garden of the Finzi-Continis” claimed the Golden Bear, on its way to the best foreign-language Oscar in 1972.
“Finzi” also earned Italian film and TV star Fabio Testi an Italian Golden Globe for best breakthrough actor. A half-century later, with over 100 credits on his resume, Testi remains active and game for parts that utilize his still stunning looks and hearty appetite for performing.
He’s also game for the role he seems destined to play in the Italian tabloids. A quick Google search of Testi’s current film and TV projects is dominated by stories – which Testi playfully plays along with – of current and past romantic adventures with women all over the globe.
Testi turns 82 this year and remains dedicated to two other passions beyond the aforementioned amorous actitivies: farming and acting.
“I did 102 movies with my name on them,...
“Finzi” also earned Italian film and TV star Fabio Testi an Italian Golden Globe for best breakthrough actor. A half-century later, with over 100 credits on his resume, Testi remains active and game for parts that utilize his still stunning looks and hearty appetite for performing.
He’s also game for the role he seems destined to play in the Italian tabloids. A quick Google search of Testi’s current film and TV projects is dominated by stories – which Testi playfully plays along with – of current and past romantic adventures with women all over the globe.
Testi turns 82 this year and remains dedicated to two other passions beyond the aforementioned amorous actitivies: farming and acting.
“I did 102 movies with my name on them,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Cillea Houghton
- Variety Film + TV
Welch was a colossal celebrity in the 1970s, whose combination of physical strength and drollery made her a force to be reckoned with
• A life in pictures
The term “sex symbol” reeks of a bygone age of smirking sexism, and very often female stars landed with this tag would be given some exotic outfit. Ursula Andress had her ivory-white bikini with chunky belt buckle in Dr No; Jane Fonda had her sleek one-piece with black stripes and thigh-length boots as the glam astronaut in Barbarella.
But the most outrageous piece of sex-symbol costuming of all time was given to Raquel Welch, who was called upon to rock a revealing doeskin two-piece in her role as Loana the Fair One in the 1966 dinosaur adventure One Million Years BC, featuring stop-motion dino action by Ray Harryhausen, and based on the less-than-scientific notion that humans and dinosaurs coexisted.
• A life in pictures
The term “sex symbol” reeks of a bygone age of smirking sexism, and very often female stars landed with this tag would be given some exotic outfit. Ursula Andress had her ivory-white bikini with chunky belt buckle in Dr No; Jane Fonda had her sleek one-piece with black stripes and thigh-length boots as the glam astronaut in Barbarella.
But the most outrageous piece of sex-symbol costuming of all time was given to Raquel Welch, who was called upon to rock a revealing doeskin two-piece in her role as Loana the Fair One in the 1966 dinosaur adventure One Million Years BC, featuring stop-motion dino action by Ray Harryhausen, and based on the less-than-scientific notion that humans and dinosaurs coexisted.
- 2/15/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Pam Grier has lived an incredible life. Her autobiography, "Foxy: A Life in Three Acts" is hopefully going to be turned into a biopic that can finally celebrate her trailblazing career. An entire generation of fans know her as the titular character in "Jackie Brown," Tarantino's follow-up to "Pulp Fiction," based on the crime novel "Rum Punch" by Elmore Leonard. Decades before that, Grier became widely known as the first female action star playing street-savvy, no-nonsense characters in "Coffy" (She'll cream you!), "Foxy Brown", and the more comedic mystery "Friday Foster."
An undeniable acting force and sought-after sex symbol, it was only a matter of time before more challenging, high-profile roles started to come Grier's way. After essentially owning the 1970s, Grier started off the '80s taking on more character-driven parts, like in the boxing drama "Tough Enough" starring Dennis Quaid, and the classic police procedural "Fort Apache the Bronx" starring Paul Newman.
An undeniable acting force and sought-after sex symbol, it was only a matter of time before more challenging, high-profile roles started to come Grier's way. After essentially owning the 1970s, Grier started off the '80s taking on more character-driven parts, like in the boxing drama "Tough Enough" starring Dennis Quaid, and the classic police procedural "Fort Apache the Bronx" starring Paul Newman.
- 2/9/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
With "No Time To Die" in the rear-view mirror, can we all agree "Casino Royale" is the best Bond movie? If it weren't for the 2006 reboot, Sean Connery would remain the undisputed Bond king, and who knows, maybe the famed super-spy and his decades-old franchise would have fizzled out as society moved into the modern-day.
Thanks to Daniel Craig's broody and embattled take on Bond, and the general "gritty reboot" trend of the early 2000s, 007 was reinvigorated for a new generation. Yes, before Bond once again became a parody of himself, for a brief moment we were all treated to a glimpse at a truly 21st Century 007 that still remained true to Ian Fleming's original vision. Craig's scarred bruiser of a spy gave the impression that beneath the icy bravado and suave affectation, there existed a real person.
It seems Craig maintained some of that icy bravado off-camera too.
Thanks to Daniel Craig's broody and embattled take on Bond, and the general "gritty reboot" trend of the early 2000s, 007 was reinvigorated for a new generation. Yes, before Bond once again became a parody of himself, for a brief moment we were all treated to a glimpse at a truly 21st Century 007 that still remained true to Ian Fleming's original vision. Craig's scarred bruiser of a spy gave the impression that beneath the icy bravado and suave affectation, there existed a real person.
It seems Craig maintained some of that icy bravado off-camera too.
- 1/1/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Yes, it’s Hammer’s grimy rags ‘n’ rock prehistoric saga, the notorious third caveman vs. dinosaurs spectacle that has no dinosaurs, leaving the ‘creatures’ of the title as a no-show. Director Don Chaffey does his best with a screenplay that Michael Carreras must have sketched on the back of a cocktail napkin. If you like rugged terrain and dusty dirty cavemen exposed to the elements — or you’re a Hammer completist — you’ve come to the right place.
Creatures the World Forgot
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date July 25, 2022 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £18.99
Starring: Julie Ege, Tony Bonner, Robin John, Brian O’Shaughnessy, Sue Wilson, Rosalie Crutchley, Marcia Fox, Gerard Bonthuys, Hans Kiesouw, Josje Kiesouw, Beverly Blake, Doon Baide.
Cinematography: Vincent Cox
Production Designer: John Stoll
Special Effects: Sid Pearson (Sydney Pearson)
Film Editor: Chris Barnes
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written and Produced by...
Creatures the World Forgot
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date July 25, 2022 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £18.99
Starring: Julie Ege, Tony Bonner, Robin John, Brian O’Shaughnessy, Sue Wilson, Rosalie Crutchley, Marcia Fox, Gerard Bonthuys, Hans Kiesouw, Josje Kiesouw, Beverly Blake, Doon Baide.
Cinematography: Vincent Cox
Production Designer: John Stoll
Special Effects: Sid Pearson (Sydney Pearson)
Film Editor: Chris Barnes
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written and Produced by...
- 10/8/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Click here to read the full article.
Venetia Stevenson, a model, actress and daughter of Hollywood luminaries who appeared in films including Darby’s Rangers, Island of Lost Women and Horror Hotel after being labeled “the most photogenic girl in the world,” has died. She was 84.
Stevenson died Monday at a health care facility in Atlanta after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, her brother, actor and photographer Jeffrey Byron, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Stevenson’s parents were Robert Stevenson, the Oscar-nominated director of Mary Poppins who earlier helmed King Solomon’s Mines and Jane Eyre, and her mother was Anna Lee, who starred in How Green Was My Valley and portrayed the matriarch Lila Quartermaine for a quarter-century on General Hospital.
The screen siren was married to actor Russ Tamblyn from Valentine’s Day 1956 until their divorce in April 1957 and to Don Everly of The Everly Brothers from 1962-...
Venetia Stevenson, a model, actress and daughter of Hollywood luminaries who appeared in films including Darby’s Rangers, Island of Lost Women and Horror Hotel after being labeled “the most photogenic girl in the world,” has died. She was 84.
Stevenson died Monday at a health care facility in Atlanta after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, her brother, actor and photographer Jeffrey Byron, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Stevenson’s parents were Robert Stevenson, the Oscar-nominated director of Mary Poppins who earlier helmed King Solomon’s Mines and Jane Eyre, and her mother was Anna Lee, who starred in How Green Was My Valley and portrayed the matriarch Lila Quartermaine for a quarter-century on General Hospital.
The screen siren was married to actor Russ Tamblyn from Valentine’s Day 1956 until their divorce in April 1957 and to Don Everly of The Everly Brothers from 1962-...
- 9/27/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Monty Norman, the British composer who wrote the propulsive theme for the James Bond films, died Monday after a short illness, according to a post on his official website. He was 94.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, who had worked with Norman by backing the stage musical Belle, about murderer Hawley Crippen, asked the composer to come up with the score for the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), after he and Harry Saltzman had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s spy.
The deal was sealed when the producers offered to fly Norman and his then-wife, actress-singer Diana Coupland, to Jamaica, where the movie was being filmed, all expenses paid. “Well, that was the clincher for me!” Norman said in a story posted on his website. “I thought, even if Dr. No turns out to be a stinker, at least we’d have sun, sea and sand to show for it!
Monty Norman, the British composer who wrote the propulsive theme for the James Bond films, died Monday after a short illness, according to a post on his official website. He was 94.
Producer Cubby Broccoli, who had worked with Norman by backing the stage musical Belle, about murderer Hawley Crippen, asked the composer to come up with the score for the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), after he and Harry Saltzman had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s spy.
The deal was sealed when the producers offered to fly Norman and his then-wife, actress-singer Diana Coupland, to Jamaica, where the movie was being filmed, all expenses paid. “Well, that was the clincher for me!” Norman said in a story posted on his website. “I thought, even if Dr. No turns out to be a stinker, at least we’d have sun, sea and sand to show for it!
- 7/11/2022
- by Mike Barnes and Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Monty Norman, a composer best known for having written the musical score to the James Bond Theme that first appeared in “Dr. No,” has died. He was 94.
Norman’s death was announced in a statement on his website that he died on Monday after a short illness.
Norman was also a singer in the 1950s and would eventually turn to stage musicals, writing lyrics for shows such as “Make Me an Offer” and “Irma La Douce.”
Also Read:
Tony Sirico, ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Goodfellas’ Star, Dies at 79
Born in London, Norman began his career playing in big bands and by the late ’50s had a successful career as a composer and lyricist for the stage, including the Broadway and West End production of “Irma La Douce” that was Tony nominated, as well as “Express Bongo” and “The Art of Living.” But he received attention and financing from 007 producer Cubby Broccoli...
Norman’s death was announced in a statement on his website that he died on Monday after a short illness.
Norman was also a singer in the 1950s and would eventually turn to stage musicals, writing lyrics for shows such as “Make Me an Offer” and “Irma La Douce.”
Also Read:
Tony Sirico, ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Goodfellas’ Star, Dies at 79
Born in London, Norman began his career playing in big bands and by the late ’50s had a successful career as a composer and lyricist for the stage, including the Broadway and West End production of “Irma La Douce” that was Tony nominated, as well as “Express Bongo” and “The Art of Living.” But he received attention and financing from 007 producer Cubby Broccoli...
- 7/11/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Monty Norman, the composer behind the iconic James Bond theme, has died at the age of 94.
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
A statement posted on his official website said, “It is with sadness we share the news that Monty Norman died on 11th July 2022 after a short illness.”
Norman most famously composed the score for “Dr. No,” the 1962 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His theme for James Bond, as arranged by fellow Englishman John Barry, would go on to become the theme for the entire franchise.
As Norman said on his site, “We recognized we needed a fresh, contemporary sound for the main theme, and in the up-and-coming young John Barry we found a wonderful arranger, so the whole thing worked very well.”
But controversy erupted decades later when Barry claimed authorship of the theme, resulting in Norman suing the Times of London for libel over a 1997 story (“Theme Tune Wrangle Has 007 Shaken and...
- 7/11/2022
- by Jon Burlingame and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
If you asked somebody to rank all the James Bond movies in order of quality (and it’s the sort of thing we might do), there would likely be many different opinions about which one took the top spot. But definitely up there near the top would be Casino Royale, the Daniel Craig-starring series reboot released in 2006 that was also based on the first Ian Fleming 007 novel.
If you went all the way to the other end of the list, and if you were including every Bond film ever made, not just the Eon Productions movies, you’d be likely to run into the name Casino Royale again. But this Casino Royale is not the gritty, hard-bitten, streamlined Bond of the 2006 picture. This movie, released in 1967, is, well, an artifact. A weirdness. It is loathed by purist fans, partly because the film itself was an utter catastrophe and partly...
If you went all the way to the other end of the list, and if you were including every Bond film ever made, not just the Eon Productions movies, you’d be likely to run into the name Casino Royale again. But this Casino Royale is not the gritty, hard-bitten, streamlined Bond of the 2006 picture. This movie, released in 1967, is, well, an artifact. A weirdness. It is loathed by purist fans, partly because the film itself was an utter catastrophe and partly...
- 4/13/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The first James Bond film, ‘Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord and Joseph Wiseman, opened in England on Oct. 2, 1962. But the 007 classic didn’t open in New York and Los Angeles until May 29, 1963. Let’s travel back almost six decades to look at the top events, movie, TV series, books and other cultural events of that year in James Bond history, which was punctuated by the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22.
35th Annual Academy Awards
Best Picture: “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Director: David Lean, “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Actor: Gregory Peck, “To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Actress: Anne Bancroft, “The Miracle Worker”
Best Supporting Actor: Ed Begley, “Sweet Bird of Youth”
Best Supporting Actress: Patty Duke, “The Miracle Worker”
Top 10 highest grossing films
“Cleopatra”
“How the West Was Won”
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
“Tom Jones”
“Irma La Douce...
35th Annual Academy Awards
Best Picture: “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Director: David Lean, “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Actor: Gregory Peck, “To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Actress: Anne Bancroft, “The Miracle Worker”
Best Supporting Actor: Ed Begley, “Sweet Bird of Youth”
Best Supporting Actress: Patty Duke, “The Miracle Worker”
Top 10 highest grossing films
“Cleopatra”
“How the West Was Won”
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
“Tom Jones”
“Irma La Douce...
- 10/8/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
To celebrate the upcoming 60th anniversary of "James Bond", fashion designer Jenny Packham whose evening wear appears in "Die Another Day" and "Casino Royale", collaborated with Eon Productions on an exclusive '007 Capsule Collection' of gowns, "...paying homage to the series' legacy of powerful female characters...", photographed by Greg Williams:
"The 'Bond' movies have been the cinematic constant of my life and their glamour has always inspired me," said Packham.
"So, when I am asked to describe a highlight in my career – to see one of my designs in a 'Bond' film is absolutely one of them.
"From Ursula Andress walking out of the ocean in her white bikini with a knife strapped to her hip to Caterina Murino in 'Casino Royale'....
"...draped in sultry pomegranate satin, the fashions of the Bond women are unique and timeless.
"Creating a collection of Bond inspired gowns in collaboration with Eon...
"The 'Bond' movies have been the cinematic constant of my life and their glamour has always inspired me," said Packham.
"So, when I am asked to describe a highlight in my career – to see one of my designs in a 'Bond' film is absolutely one of them.
"From Ursula Andress walking out of the ocean in her white bikini with a knife strapped to her hip to Caterina Murino in 'Casino Royale'....
"...draped in sultry pomegranate satin, the fashions of the Bond women are unique and timeless.
"Creating a collection of Bond inspired gowns in collaboration with Eon...
- 9/30/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
If Jean-Paul Belmondo had gotten his way, he would have been a stage actor. He applied to the Conservatoire de Paris three times before the illustrious drama school accepted him and spent the 1950s trying to launch a theater career.
Lucky for world cinema, Belmondo had greater success on screen, thanks to his role in 1960’s “Breathless,” the movie that launched the French New Wave — and instantly rendered everything Hollywood had been doing old-fashioned. In “Breathless,” Belmondo wasn’t playing a gangster so much as someone who had seen too many gangster movies, a self-styled tough guy who took Humphrey Bogart as his model. His crime spree feels more improvised than scripted, while his doesn’t-care, screw-society attitude effectively thumbed its nose at all the good reasons on-screen criminals had used to justify their actions before.
Godard’s film made Belmondo the face of the New Wave — a handsome mug...
Lucky for world cinema, Belmondo had greater success on screen, thanks to his role in 1960’s “Breathless,” the movie that launched the French New Wave — and instantly rendered everything Hollywood had been doing old-fashioned. In “Breathless,” Belmondo wasn’t playing a gangster so much as someone who had seen too many gangster movies, a self-styled tough guy who took Humphrey Bogart as his model. His crime spree feels more improvised than scripted, while his doesn’t-care, screw-society attitude effectively thumbed its nose at all the good reasons on-screen criminals had used to justify their actions before.
Godard’s film made Belmondo the face of the New Wave — a handsome mug...
- 9/7/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
By Lee Pfeiffer
International screen icon Jean-Paul Belmondo has died at the age of 88. The French star was one of the major influences in terms of popularizing anti-heroes on screen. His somewhat shaggy, rough-hewn look was at odds with traditional screen leading men. Belmondo was not handsome in the traditional sense, nor did he specialize in playing erudite, sophisticated characters. He excelled in playing the common man who was often caught up in extraordinary situations. Belmondo had flirted with being a boxer in his youth before gravitating to acting at the precise time French cinema's "New Wave" was taking the world by storm, led by directors and actors who would revolutionize world cinema. After appearing in numerous French films in the late 1950s, he became a sensation with his leading role in director Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 crime classic "Breathless". There would be no looking back. In the decades to come,...
International screen icon Jean-Paul Belmondo has died at the age of 88. The French star was one of the major influences in terms of popularizing anti-heroes on screen. His somewhat shaggy, rough-hewn look was at odds with traditional screen leading men. Belmondo was not handsome in the traditional sense, nor did he specialize in playing erudite, sophisticated characters. He excelled in playing the common man who was often caught up in extraordinary situations. Belmondo had flirted with being a boxer in his youth before gravitating to acting at the precise time French cinema's "New Wave" was taking the world by storm, led by directors and actors who would revolutionize world cinema. After appearing in numerous French films in the late 1950s, he became a sensation with his leading role in director Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 crime classic "Breathless". There would be no looking back. In the decades to come,...
- 9/6/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, known for films like Breathless and Two Women, has died at age 88. The actor, whose death was confirmed by his lawyer to Afp News Agency, died at his home in Paris. No cause of death has been given.
Belmondo, born in 1933 in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, got his start in acting in the 1950s, first working in theater before moving into film. He collaborated with French New Wave auteur Jean-Luc Godard in 1958 short Charlotte And Her Boyfriend, and went on to work with Godard several more times,...
Belmondo, born in 1933 in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, got his start in acting in the 1950s, first working in theater before moving into film. He collaborated with French New Wave auteur Jean-Luc Godard in 1958 short Charlotte And Her Boyfriend, and went on to work with Godard several more times,...
- 9/6/2021
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
It was 40 years ago, in June 1981, that Clash of the Titans, the last film to feature the stop-motion animation effects of Ray Harryhausen, was released.
Starring a then-unknown Harry Hamlin, along with veteran stars like Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Burgess Meredith, and Ursula Andress, the film was loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus (Hamlin), weaving in strands of other mythologies and legends and putting its hero into conflict with creatures like the Kraken, Calibos, Medusa the Gorgon and a two-headed dog named Dioskilos.
“Greek and Roman myths contained characters and fantastic creatures that were ideal for cinematic adventures,” wrote Harryhausen in his memoir, Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life. “If some of the adventures were combined with 20th century storytelling, a timeless narrative could be constructed that would appeal to both young and old.”
Harryhausen was already a filmmaking legend by the time he began work on Clash of the Titans.
Starring a then-unknown Harry Hamlin, along with veteran stars like Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Burgess Meredith, and Ursula Andress, the film was loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus (Hamlin), weaving in strands of other mythologies and legends and putting its hero into conflict with creatures like the Kraken, Calibos, Medusa the Gorgon and a two-headed dog named Dioskilos.
“Greek and Roman myths contained characters and fantastic creatures that were ideal for cinematic adventures,” wrote Harryhausen in his memoir, Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life. “If some of the adventures were combined with 20th century storytelling, a timeless narrative could be constructed that would appeal to both young and old.”
Harryhausen was already a filmmaking legend by the time he began work on Clash of the Titans.
- 6/20/2021
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Matt Davey
Released in 1971, ‘Red Sun’ is an enthralling Western starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. Bronson and Delon lead a group of bandits to rob a train, but get more than they bargained for as they discover the train is transporting a Japanese delegation featuring Mifune, who is guarding a priceless ceremonial sword, a gift from the Emperor of Japan meant for the President of the United States. Delon steals the sword and leaves co-conspirator Bronson for dead. Mifune and Bronson team up to make an unlikely alliance in search of Delon and the stolen sword.
“For the disgrace of failure, he will rip his abdomen and kill himself” roars the Japanese ambassador as he tries to solder Link (Bronson) and Kuroda Jubei (Mifune) into the unlikeliest good cop/bad cop routine you’re ever likely to witness.
By Matt Davey
Released in 1971, ‘Red Sun’ is an enthralling Western starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. Bronson and Delon lead a group of bandits to rob a train, but get more than they bargained for as they discover the train is transporting a Japanese delegation featuring Mifune, who is guarding a priceless ceremonial sword, a gift from the Emperor of Japan meant for the President of the United States. Delon steals the sword and leaves co-conspirator Bronson for dead. Mifune and Bronson team up to make an unlikely alliance in search of Delon and the stolen sword.
“For the disgrace of failure, he will rip his abdomen and kill himself” roars the Japanese ambassador as he tries to solder Link (Bronson) and Kuroda Jubei (Mifune) into the unlikeliest good cop/bad cop routine you’re ever likely to witness.
- 3/4/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
British actor John Richardson, probably best known for starring opposite Ursula Andress in She and Raquel Welch in One Million B.C., passed away on Tuesday from complications of Covid-19 at the age of 86. "Cinema Retro" writer Mark Mawston was the first to report the actor's death and revealed that his death comes just two weeks before what would have been his…...
- 1/8/2021
- by Gaius Bolling
- JoBlo.com
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Mark Mawston
We regret to report that actor John Richardson has passed away this week, just two weeks before what would have been his 87th birthday.
John found fame in the 1960s via films such as Mario Bava's Black Sunday and Hammer Film's remakes of She and One Million Years B.C., wherein he co-starred alongside many of the most beautiful actresses of the era, such as Ursula Andress, Barbara Steele and Raquel Welch who famously bemoaned, on first being introduced to John, that her new leading man was more beautiful than she was!
John's role in One Million Years B.C. (1966), Ray Harryhausen's prehistoric animated cult classic, led to a long relationship with his co-star Martine Beswick and a move to Hollywood, where he landed roles in big budget Hollywood productions such as Vincente Minnelli's On A Clear Day You...
By Mark Mawston
We regret to report that actor John Richardson has passed away this week, just two weeks before what would have been his 87th birthday.
John found fame in the 1960s via films such as Mario Bava's Black Sunday and Hammer Film's remakes of She and One Million Years B.C., wherein he co-starred alongside many of the most beautiful actresses of the era, such as Ursula Andress, Barbara Steele and Raquel Welch who famously bemoaned, on first being introduced to John, that her new leading man was more beautiful than she was!
John's role in One Million Years B.C. (1966), Ray Harryhausen's prehistoric animated cult classic, led to a long relationship with his co-star Martine Beswick and a move to Hollywood, where he landed roles in big budget Hollywood productions such as Vincente Minnelli's On A Clear Day You...
- 1/7/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
John Richardson, the British actor who starred opposite Ursula Andress in She and Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C., died Tuesday of Covid-19 complications. He was 86.
His death was reported by Cinema Retro writer Mark Mawston.
In Mario Bava’s credited feature directorial debut, Richardson portrayed a doctor’s assistant whose blood inadvertently brings a vampiric witch (Barbara Steele) back to life in the Italian horror classic Black Sunday (1960).
He screen-tested for James Bond after Sean Connery relinquished the role, but model George Lazenby was hired to play Agent 007 opposite Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
For Hammer ...
His death was reported by Cinema Retro writer Mark Mawston.
In Mario Bava’s credited feature directorial debut, Richardson portrayed a doctor’s assistant whose blood inadvertently brings a vampiric witch (Barbara Steele) back to life in the Italian horror classic Black Sunday (1960).
He screen-tested for James Bond after Sean Connery relinquished the role, but model George Lazenby was hired to play Agent 007 opposite Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
For Hammer ...
John Richardson, the British actor who starred opposite Ursula Andress in She and Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C., died Tuesday of Covid-19 complications. He was 86.
His death was reported by Cinema Retro writer Mark Mawston.
In Mario Bava’s credited feature directorial debut, Richardson portrayed a doctor’s assistant whose blood inadvertently brings a vampiric witch (Barbara Steele) back to life in the Italian horror classic Black Sunday (1960).
He screen-tested for James Bond after Sean Connery relinquished the role, but model George Lazenby was hired to play Agent 007 opposite Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
For ...
His death was reported by Cinema Retro writer Mark Mawston.
In Mario Bava’s credited feature directorial debut, Richardson portrayed a doctor’s assistant whose blood inadvertently brings a vampiric witch (Barbara Steele) back to life in the Italian horror classic Black Sunday (1960).
He screen-tested for James Bond after Sean Connery relinquished the role, but model George Lazenby was hired to play Agent 007 opposite Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
For ...
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. As if the pandemic isn’t bad enough news, we lost another movie great last week. Sean Connery passed away at the ripe old age of 90. R.I.P, Mr. Connery.
Dr. No, directed by Terence Young in 1962, was the first film in the James Bond series, Sean Connery played Bond, James Bond, opposite Ursula Andress. Nice work if you can get it. Remember how you couldn’t get away from spy shows in the ‘60s? Dr. No is why. After the film’s success, the spies all came in from the cold. The character Andress plays, by the way, is a shell diver. That’s right, she sells sea shells by the seashore.
The movie is set in Jamaica, so how about pairing it with Jamaican wine?...
Dr. No, directed by Terence Young in 1962, was the first film in the James Bond series, Sean Connery played Bond, James Bond, opposite Ursula Andress. Nice work if you can get it. Remember how you couldn’t get away from spy shows in the ‘60s? Dr. No is why. After the film’s success, the spies all came in from the cold. The character Andress plays, by the way, is a shell diver. That’s right, she sells sea shells by the seashore.
The movie is set in Jamaica, so how about pairing it with Jamaican wine?...
- 11/4/2020
- by Randy Fuller
- Trailers from Hell
Let’s raise a farewell glass to one of the all-time greats, Sean Connery. Even though the legendary Scottish actor turned 90 this summer, his death still feels like a shock, just because Connery seemed like he’d stick around forever — a giant oak towering over other stars, showing them up as lightweights. The most charismatic of movie stars, all craggy gravitas, with zero interest in celebrity, sucking up to nobody, Connery held a simple code and lived by it. As he told Rolling Stone in a 1983 cover story, “The lesson there is,...
- 11/1/2020
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
If you like your martinis shaken, not stirred, then you’ll love our list of James Bond movies ranked. We countdown every 007 adventure from worst to best. Where does your favorite place on the ranking?
James Bond was the brainchild of Ian Fleming, a former naval intelligence officer-turned-author who wrote 14 books featuring the British spy and ladies man. The first film adaptation of one of Fleming’s novels, the Eon Productions release “Dr. No” (1962), was a monster hit that made a star of leading man Sean Connery, who played the role of Agent 007 six additional times: “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), “You Only Live Twice” (1967), “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) and the non-Eon produced “Never Say Never Again” (1983).
Connery was briefly replaced by George Lazenby, a male model who headlined “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969) and never returned to the series again. Roger Moore took over the role with “Live and Let Die...
James Bond was the brainchild of Ian Fleming, a former naval intelligence officer-turned-author who wrote 14 books featuring the British spy and ladies man. The first film adaptation of one of Fleming’s novels, the Eon Productions release “Dr. No” (1962), was a monster hit that made a star of leading man Sean Connery, who played the role of Agent 007 six additional times: “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), “You Only Live Twice” (1967), “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) and the non-Eon produced “Never Say Never Again” (1983).
Connery was briefly replaced by George Lazenby, a male model who headlined “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969) and never returned to the series again. Roger Moore took over the role with “Live and Let Die...
- 9/10/2020
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Slave of the Cannibal God
Blu ray
Code Red
1978/ 99 min.
Starring Ursula Andress, Stacy Keach
Cinematography by Giancarlo Ferrando
Directed by Sergio Martino
At the same moment the Korean War was ending and Eisenhower entered the White House, illustrator Samson Pollen found his niche; illuminating the fever dreams of suburban dads for action magazines from Man’s World to Stag. He enjoyed a long career and in 1978 he was handed an assignment right up his alley, a garish montage of anacondas, he-men and nearly-naked women. But his art for Slave of the Cannibal God turned out to be far from his best work. Blandly composed and indifferently executed, Pollen’s movie poster works best as a critique of the film itself.
Directed by Sergio Martino, this travelogue-cum-horror movie stars Ursula Andress, a paragon of beauty who built her brand on a supernatural physique and a come-hither gaze that might have inspired...
Blu ray
Code Red
1978/ 99 min.
Starring Ursula Andress, Stacy Keach
Cinematography by Giancarlo Ferrando
Directed by Sergio Martino
At the same moment the Korean War was ending and Eisenhower entered the White House, illustrator Samson Pollen found his niche; illuminating the fever dreams of suburban dads for action magazines from Man’s World to Stag. He enjoyed a long career and in 1978 he was handed an assignment right up his alley, a garish montage of anacondas, he-men and nearly-naked women. But his art for Slave of the Cannibal God turned out to be far from his best work. Blandly composed and indifferently executed, Pollen’s movie poster works best as a critique of the film itself.
Directed by Sergio Martino, this travelogue-cum-horror movie stars Ursula Andress, a paragon of beauty who built her brand on a supernatural physique and a come-hither gaze that might have inspired...
- 8/1/2020
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. You’ve probably never heard of these films, but the upside is that watching them alone at home won’t require a mask.
According to the one-sheet, in 1965’s Nightmare in the Sun, Ursula Andress was old enough to know better but too beautiful to care. She’s cheating on her older husband with the town sheriff, then takes up with a hitchhiker. It turns out the husband knows better than to kill people, but was too drunk to care.
The soap opera that accompanied the production reads like an early draft of Blake Edwards’ S.O.B. The story goes that Andress’s real-life husband, John Derek, agreed to let his wife do a nude scene with Aldo Ray, but reportedly reneged on the deal just before shooting started.
According to the one-sheet, in 1965’s Nightmare in the Sun, Ursula Andress was old enough to know better but too beautiful to care. She’s cheating on her older husband with the town sheriff, then takes up with a hitchhiker. It turns out the husband knows better than to kill people, but was too drunk to care.
The soap opera that accompanied the production reads like an early draft of Blake Edwards’ S.O.B. The story goes that Andress’s real-life husband, John Derek, agreed to let his wife do a nude scene with Aldo Ray, but reportedly reneged on the deal just before shooting started.
- 7/15/2020
- by Randy Fuller
- Trailers from Hell
A topsy-turvy take on The Postman Always Rings Twice, Ursula Andress, John Derek and Aldo Ray engage in some murderous fun and games in this 1965 potboiler directed by Hollywood stalwart Marc Lawrence. Shot in a little over two weeks in Calabasas, California, Lawrence co-wrote the steamy screenplay with his wife Fanya.
The post Nightmare in the Sun appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Nightmare in the Sun appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 7/13/2020
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Slowly but surely, the world is emerging from one of the darkest challenges most of us will ever experience. But it will still be some time before we return to full normality, and there are some things we will have to live without for some time yet. With summer upon us, thoughts naturally turn to music festivals, but most of 2020’s events were cancelled long ago. Instead, let’s take a look in the rear view mirror to a time when it all began.
It’s 50 years since Woodstock, Glastonbury and the Summer of Love. This was a time when the movies and the music were interwoven in a way that you just don’t see today. Having said that, not everything has changed for the worse in the past half a century. Today, if you want to relive those years with a mellow smoke, you can place your order online.
It’s 50 years since Woodstock, Glastonbury and the Summer of Love. This was a time when the movies and the music were interwoven in a way that you just don’t see today. Having said that, not everything has changed for the worse in the past half a century. Today, if you want to relive those years with a mellow smoke, you can place your order online.
- 6/1/2020
- by Michael Walsh
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
A look back at all the lovely allies and femme fatales who’ve crossed paths with 007 over the years.
Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, “Dr. No” (1962)
Widely regarded as the first Bond Girl, Honey Ryder’s emergence from the ocean clad in a white bikini is considered one of the most iconic moments in 007 franchise history.
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench, “Dr. No” (1962) & “From Russia With Love” (1963)
Sylvia Trench introduced herself to James Bond as “Trench, Sylvia Trench,” which inspired him to reply with his now iconic “Bond, James Bond” phrase. She’s also the first Bond Girl to appear in more than one film.
Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova, “From Russia With Love” (1963)
Tasked with seducing and killing James Bond, Tatiana falls for the British spy instead, ultimately teaming up with him to take down the deadly Rosa Klebb.
Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, “Goldfinger” (1964)
Perhaps the most...
Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, “Dr. No” (1962)
Widely regarded as the first Bond Girl, Honey Ryder’s emergence from the ocean clad in a white bikini is considered one of the most iconic moments in 007 franchise history.
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench, “Dr. No” (1962) & “From Russia With Love” (1963)
Sylvia Trench introduced herself to James Bond as “Trench, Sylvia Trench,” which inspired him to reply with his now iconic “Bond, James Bond” phrase. She’s also the first Bond Girl to appear in more than one film.
Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova, “From Russia With Love” (1963)
Tasked with seducing and killing James Bond, Tatiana falls for the British spy instead, ultimately teaming up with him to take down the deadly Rosa Klebb.
Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, “Goldfinger” (1964)
Perhaps the most...
- 12/4/2019
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
The Keanu Reeves we all know and love, the super-agile, sharply dressed, rather taciturn action hero currently death-dealing his way through John Wick Chapter 3, was born 25 years ago, in the summer movie season of 1994 (yes that’s right…25 years ago!).
Until that point, Reeves had been a pin-up presence in arthouse treasures like River’s Edge and Permanent Record whose stock had risen sharply when he and Alex Winter had their first Excellent Adventure in 1988. After that, it soon became impossible to shake off his image as a loveable perma-stoned surf-jockey, never more than five seconds away from a ‘Woah, duuude.’
Attempts at breaking away from this unwanted mould and tackle more highbrow fare like Little Buddha often led to snide critical derision and more than a few titters, especially at his ‘English’ accent in Bram Stoker’s Dracula – ‘I know whhair the bahstud sleeps, in Carfax Abbehh.’
Point Break...
Until that point, Reeves had been a pin-up presence in arthouse treasures like River’s Edge and Permanent Record whose stock had risen sharply when he and Alex Winter had their first Excellent Adventure in 1988. After that, it soon became impossible to shake off his image as a loveable perma-stoned surf-jockey, never more than five seconds away from a ‘Woah, duuude.’
Attempts at breaking away from this unwanted mould and tackle more highbrow fare like Little Buddha often led to snide critical derision and more than a few titters, especially at his ‘English’ accent in Bram Stoker’s Dracula – ‘I know whhair the bahstud sleeps, in Carfax Abbehh.’
Point Break...
- 7/18/2019
- by Cai Ross
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In 1965 at age 40, Cheverlot boss John DeLorean became the youngest division head in General Motors history. He was an automotive engineer who created cars like the Pontiac Gto, but DeLorean had the looks and lifestyle of a movie star.
“John was a legendary automotive designer who had great success at Gm,” Alec Baldwin, who plays DeLorean in the new film Framing John DeLorean, tells People in this week’s issue. “John made his name in the business, and that business was like a movie. You release something and if it’s a hit, you’re the king for the time being.
“John was a legendary automotive designer who had great success at Gm,” Alec Baldwin, who plays DeLorean in the new film Framing John DeLorean, tells People in this week’s issue. “John made his name in the business, and that business was like a movie. You release something and if it’s a hit, you’re the king for the time being.
- 6/7/2019
- by Dana Rose Falcone
- PEOPLE.com
Olinka Berova is as sexy as Ursula Andress, but even with a new woman producer Hammer’s She sequel doesn’t give her new She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed much of a chance — the story just sits there and the kingdom of Kuma is woefully under-produced. Good photography and acting help, but one doesn’t earn high marks for the Boys from Bray.
The Vengeance of She
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1968 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 101 min. / Street Date February 26, 2019 / 29.99
Starring: Olinka Berova (Olga Schoberová), John Richardson, Edward Judd, Colin Blakely, Jill Melford, George Sewell, André Morell, Noel Willman, Derek Godfrey, Danièle Noël, Gerald Lawson, Zohra Sehgal, Christine Pockett, Dervis Ward.
Cinematography: Wolfgang Suschitzky
Film Editor: Raymond Poulton
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written by Peter O’Donnell based on characters created by H. Rider Haggard
Produced by Aida Young
Directed by Cliff Owen
Aida Young took her first full producing credit for Hammer on 1968’s The Vengeance of She...
The Vengeance of She
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1968 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 101 min. / Street Date February 26, 2019 / 29.99
Starring: Olinka Berova (Olga Schoberová), John Richardson, Edward Judd, Colin Blakely, Jill Melford, George Sewell, André Morell, Noel Willman, Derek Godfrey, Danièle Noël, Gerald Lawson, Zohra Sehgal, Christine Pockett, Dervis Ward.
Cinematography: Wolfgang Suschitzky
Film Editor: Raymond Poulton
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written by Peter O’Donnell based on characters created by H. Rider Haggard
Produced by Aida Young
Directed by Cliff Owen
Aida Young took her first full producing credit for Hammer on 1968’s The Vengeance of She...
- 2/19/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
British agent James Bond has made a habit out of saving the world, having done so numerous times over the past 56 years. But for a time it seemed like no one could save agent 007 himself in what had seemingly become a never-ending quest to find a director for what will be actor Daniel Craig's fifth and final turn in the role. That quest is finally at an end. Bond 25, which is the working title until an official one is given to it (probably early next year), will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, who is best known for directing the critically acclaimed Netflix film Beasts of No Nation and season one of HBO's True Detective. A brief official statement was issued by producers Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, and Daniel Craig (the first for a Bond actor to be featured in that behind the scenes role). "We...
- 9/20/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
What better way to ring in your 52nd birthday than by smearing cake all over your face? Halle Berry rang in the big 5-2 on Tuesday, Aug. 14, and the actress took to Instagram to give her followers an inside look at what appeared to be the coolest celebration ever. Halle shared a funny photo of herself and her two girlfriends literally covered in cake on the social media platform (talk about the ultimate food fight!). "How to celebrate your birthday when you don’t celebrate birthdays - check stories! ☠️...
- 8/15/2018
- by Samantha Faragalli
- Closer Weekly
By Tim Greaves
The name Sergio Martino will strike a chord with anyone who has even a passing interest in Italian exploitation pictures of the 70s and 80s. Once seen, who can forget The Great Alligator or The Island of Fishmen – both of which are favourites of this writer in their showcasing of Barbara Bach at her most radiant – or premium Suzy Kendall giallo Torso, or for that matter once ‘video nasty’ and Ursula Andress headliner The Mountain of the Cannibal God? Marking Martino’s second giallo, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (o.t. La coda della scorpione), was released in 1971, sandwiched between a couple of his most highly regarded titles, The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and All the Colours of the Dark. Scorpion’s Tail isn’t quite on a par with either of those, but it’s still a respectable entry in the sub-genre.
When...
The name Sergio Martino will strike a chord with anyone who has even a passing interest in Italian exploitation pictures of the 70s and 80s. Once seen, who can forget The Great Alligator or The Island of Fishmen – both of which are favourites of this writer in their showcasing of Barbara Bach at her most radiant – or premium Suzy Kendall giallo Torso, or for that matter once ‘video nasty’ and Ursula Andress headliner The Mountain of the Cannibal God? Marking Martino’s second giallo, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (o.t. La coda della scorpione), was released in 1971, sandwiched between a couple of his most highly regarded titles, The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and All the Colours of the Dark. Scorpion’s Tail isn’t quite on a par with either of those, but it’s still a respectable entry in the sub-genre.
When...
- 8/7/2018
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
By Adrian Smith
Shameless has released the UK video debut of the 1978 cult film The Mountain of the Cannibal God as a Blu-ray special edition. (The film is also known as The Slave of the Cannibal God.) The plot is as follows: Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress) and her brother Manolo (Claudio Cassinelli), unable to get help from the New Guinea authorities, hire former explorer Edward Foster (Stacy Keach) to help them find her husband. He went missing months ago in the jungle whist on a quest to reach the sacred mountain of Ra Ra Me. Susan clearly loves her husband and would do anything to get him back. Foster agrees to take them, despite the obvious difficulties ahead, not only from the dangerous animals, but also from the legendary cannibal tribe said to be lurking within the darkness of the jungle canopy. Along the way they find a cult-like village...
Shameless has released the UK video debut of the 1978 cult film The Mountain of the Cannibal God as a Blu-ray special edition. (The film is also known as The Slave of the Cannibal God.) The plot is as follows: Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress) and her brother Manolo (Claudio Cassinelli), unable to get help from the New Guinea authorities, hire former explorer Edward Foster (Stacy Keach) to help them find her husband. He went missing months ago in the jungle whist on a quest to reach the sacred mountain of Ra Ra Me. Susan clearly loves her husband and would do anything to get him back. Foster agrees to take them, despite the obvious difficulties ahead, not only from the dangerous animals, but also from the legendary cannibal tribe said to be lurking within the darkness of the jungle canopy. Along the way they find a cult-like village...
- 6/22/2018
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
On this day in 1946, the bikini made its debut. To celebrate #NationalBikiniDay, let’s take a look back at some of the most iconic swimsuits–both one- and two-piece–in film and television, from the 1930s to the present.
1930s: Jean Harlow
In the 1930s, before her death at age 26, film actress Jean Harlow was a Hollywood sex symbol. According to Redbook, she was also one of the earliest stars to be photographed in a swimsuit.
1940s: Betty Grable
Betty Grable was celebrated in the 1930s and 40s for her “million dollar legs.” Though this yellow bikini is not as famous as Grable’s famous one-piece and high heels attire, it’s iconic in its own right.
1950s: Esther Williams
1960s: Ursula Andress (first Bond girl)
This Swiss actress catapulted to fame as the first “Bond girl” in the 1962 film, “Dr. No.” The scene where Andress rises out of the...
1930s: Jean Harlow
In the 1930s, before her death at age 26, film actress Jean Harlow was a Hollywood sex symbol. According to Redbook, she was also one of the earliest stars to be photographed in a swimsuit.
1940s: Betty Grable
Betty Grable was celebrated in the 1930s and 40s for her “million dollar legs.” Though this yellow bikini is not as famous as Grable’s famous one-piece and high heels attire, it’s iconic in its own right.
1950s: Esther Williams
1960s: Ursula Andress (first Bond girl)
This Swiss actress catapulted to fame as the first “Bond girl” in the 1962 film, “Dr. No.” The scene where Andress rises out of the...
- 6/5/2018
- by Ashley Eady
- The Wrap
Stars: Ursula Andress, Antonio Marsina, Stacy Keach, Claudio Cassinelli, Antonio Marsina, Franco Fantasia, Lanfranco Spinola, Carlo Longhi | Written by Cesare Frugoni | Directed by Sergio Martino
When her husband fails to return from an expedition after several months in the jungles of New Guinea, Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress) and her brother Arthur Weisser (Antonio Marsina), enlist the help of Professor Edward Foster (Stacy Keach) to start their own unauthorised expedition to find him. Believing he may have ventured into a forbidden cursed island, they decide to go themselves but as they travel deep into the jungle they soon realise the wildlife may be deadly, but they are not the only predators on the island that they will have to overcome if they are going to get back out alive.
The Mountain of the Cannibal God is an Italian exploration film from director Sergio Martino, which takes the action deep into the jungle in this action-horror.
When her husband fails to return from an expedition after several months in the jungles of New Guinea, Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress) and her brother Arthur Weisser (Antonio Marsina), enlist the help of Professor Edward Foster (Stacy Keach) to start their own unauthorised expedition to find him. Believing he may have ventured into a forbidden cursed island, they decide to go themselves but as they travel deep into the jungle they soon realise the wildlife may be deadly, but they are not the only predators on the island that they will have to overcome if they are going to get back out alive.
The Mountain of the Cannibal God is an Italian exploration film from director Sergio Martino, which takes the action deep into the jungle in this action-horror.
- 6/1/2018
- by Philip Rogers
- Nerdly
“Indy, why does the floor move?”
Everyone knows that Art Hill, in front of the St. Louis Art Museum, is a great place to go sledding in the winter. But did you know it’s a great place to see movies in the summer?
Inspired by the remarkable story behind Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds, these four films follow the search for something vital—whether it be truth, treasure, or justice. Discover other lives, other eras, and other worlds with these Epic Quests.
The We Are Movie Geeks gang always goes to these, so if you wanna hang with the cool kids, you should go too. It’s free and they set up a big screen at the bottom of the hill. There are food trucks and beer and wine for sale. You can even go dine in the museum’s restaurant before the show if you got money to burn.
Everyone knows that Art Hill, in front of the St. Louis Art Museum, is a great place to go sledding in the winter. But did you know it’s a great place to see movies in the summer?
Inspired by the remarkable story behind Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds, these four films follow the search for something vital—whether it be truth, treasure, or justice. Discover other lives, other eras, and other worlds with these Epic Quests.
The We Are Movie Geeks gang always goes to these, so if you wanna hang with the cool kids, you should go too. It’s free and they set up a big screen at the bottom of the hill. There are food trucks and beer and wine for sale. You can even go dine in the museum’s restaurant before the show if you got money to burn.
- 5/14/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Just three years after winning an Academy Award as a supporting actress, Meryl Streep took another Oscar home as Best Actress. Watch the video above as Sylvester Stallone announces her name for the 1982 film “Sophie’s Choice,” and the pregnant Streep drops her speech at the podium before she receives the trophy. Sly refers her to as the “marvelous” Meryl Streep when opening the envelope.
SEEOscars flashback: Meryl Streep exclaims ‘Holy mackerel’ winning her 1st Oscar for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ [Watch]
When Streep first heard that William Styron’s novel about a Holocaust survivor who befriends two eccentric young men in New York City was being turned into a film, she knew she had to play the part. She reportedly begged writer/director Alan J. Pakula for the part on bended knee. Only after Ursula Andress, Magdalena Vasaryova and Liv Ullman proved unavailable, was Streep granted the role of Sophie Zawistowski.
SEEOscars flashback: Meryl Streep exclaims ‘Holy mackerel’ winning her 1st Oscar for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ [Watch]
When Streep first heard that William Styron’s novel about a Holocaust survivor who befriends two eccentric young men in New York City was being turned into a film, she knew she had to play the part. She reportedly begged writer/director Alan J. Pakula for the part on bended knee. Only after Ursula Andress, Magdalena Vasaryova and Liv Ullman proved unavailable, was Streep granted the role of Sophie Zawistowski.
- 2/27/2018
- by Jack Fields
- Gold Derby
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.